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A small penis can be very damaging to the male ego. Unlike women, it’s not as commonly accepted for men to change what they don’t like with cosmetic surgery.
Nevertheless, men around the world have in recent years increasingly embraced cosmetic penile enhancements.
One only needs to see the adverts around Johannesburg to be exposed to penis enlargement promises. While most of the advertised treatments are on the black market, there are numerous credible local practitioners trained in the technique as the process grows in popularity.
Dr Chris Giezing, of Aesthetic Lab in Hazelwood in Pretoria, says the penis fillers using hyaluronic acid injections are good for quick results.
The injection is a safe lunchtime procedure, which can take up to 30 minutes, provided it is done by a medical practitioner who has been trained in the technique. The minimally invasive procedure is done under local anesthesia.
At a cost of R15 000 per shot of 10ml hyaluronic acid, the filler only increases flaccid girth and has little to no effect on an erect penis and your sexual performance. The girth of the penis is the width and no change occurs to the length.
The procedure’s results last for 18 months to two years. While it is said to be relatively safe, there can be complications.
These include infection of the penis if it is not treated with the highest care and hygiene after the procedure.
An extreme case would be the filler moving to the foreskin of an uncircumcised penis and causing the foreskin ring to narrow. I’m told a procedure to dissolve the filler can remedy this problem. After the treatment, the patient must not engage in sex for a week.
In my quest to find out more about the quick lunchtime fix, I spoke to general practitioner Dr Tiny Mhinga who is based in Fourways, Johannesburg, about the procedure.
He says patients must make sure the practitioner does not use more than the recommended dose as this can cause pressure to build around the surrounding tissue of the penis.
Other than this, he says there are few negative side effects.
I’m all for an ego boost but the fact that there is little effect on the erect size and performance makes the entire exercise a bit futile in my view.
The BBC first reported on the use of penis fillers in 2018 in the UK. It is popular with men willing to overlook the lack of scientific research done about it. The Aesthetic Lab has branches in Bloemfontein and Pretoria.
They can be contacted on 061 501 6702 and 012 001 9899, respectively. They have a reputation for using the most advanced treatments.
